Honey brine and injection

[sprky]

Hi all,

I'd like your all's thoughts and opinions on this brine. The wife wants a Honey brined turkey this year, so I came up with this variation of shakes honey brine.

1 1/2 Gal water

5 oz kosher salt

24 oz honey

1 1/2 oz pink salt

4 bay leaves

1 tsp pickling spice

1/2 tsp ground cloves

Add every thing  EXCEPT the honey to 1 quart of water and bring to boil stirring to dissolve the salt and extract oils. Let cool to room temp and add honey. Inject turkey with approximately 5% by weight. Place turkey in remaining brine and let soak for around 4 days in fridge. 

I have been told if you allow the turkey to sit in fridge for around 24 hours after brining to air dry you get a better flavor distribution. If anyone has done this I am very interested in your opinion on this. I know it helps the skin crisp but we don't eat the skin so that part don't matter.

I will then smoke at around 275 till it reaches 160 deg. in breast and 170 deg in thigh. let the turkey rest for around 30 min and carve.

As always I welcome any and all thoughts/ opinions on this.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Sprky, I read your recipe and I see no problem with substituting the (sugar) with Honey ; however the use of the Pink Salt has me wondering

. Would that not make for an off flavor in the Turkey??? You already have Kosher Salt in it, leading me to think it would cause an overly salty taste.

I can't recall any mix as this being used on Turkey . IMHO

Have a Happy Holiday Season, and...

 

[pit 4 brains]

I can't see any reason to add pink salt if you are going to push the bird through the danger zone and consume it right away. I brine-cure breasts but that is to slice up for lunchmeat. The idea behind letting it sit for a period of time after brining is to let the concentrations of the solutes (salts, sugars0) to spread out evenly in the meat. I think 24 hours might be a little long and maybe just a rest in the fridge overnight should do. 

 

[mike johnson]

I may be wrong in this but if you add pink salt to everything but honey and then boil. you are neutralizing the cure because its being cooked.I wouldnt add any. Just soak overnight and cook the next day.

 

[chef jimmyj]

If your goal to have a Hammy tasting Turkey, the Cure will get the job done. Otherwise leave it out. That sounds pretty good...JJ

 

[biteme7951]

I may be wrong in this but if you add pink salt to everything but honey and then boil. you are neutralizing the cure because its being cooked.I wouldnt add any. Just soak overnight and cook the next day.

What Mike said...Heat will effect the Cure.  Add it after the brine cools.

Barry.

 

[sprky]

Sprky, I read your recipe and I see no problem with substituting the (sugar) with Honey ; however the use of the Pink Salt has me wondering

. Would that not make for an off flavor in the Turkey??? YES it gives it a slight hammy taste. 

You already have Kosher Salt in it, leading me to think it would cause an overly salty taste. I have been adding pink salt (AKA cure) to my brines for turkeys for quite some time. I do this due to smoking BIG birds normally in the 20 + range. this keeps them safe if they dont hit 140 in 4 hours. AS of yet I have NOT had a salty bird. I think it's due to using less then 1 cup salt to the Gal. of water.

I can't recall any mix as this being used on Turkey . IMHO Pops uses a brine with pink salt added as well. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/86405/pickling-a-turkey-with-pops-curing-brine

Have a Happy Holiday Season, and...

 

[sprky]

I can't see any reason to add pink salt if you are going to push the bird through the danger zone and consume it right away. I brine-cure breasts but that is to slice up for lunchmeat. 

[color= rgb(255, 0, 0)]I do this due to smoking BIG birds normally in the 20 + range. [/color][color= rgb(255, 0, 0)]this keeps them safe if they dont hit 140 in 4 hours. [/color]

The idea behind letting it sit for a period of time after brining is to let the concentrations of the solutes (salts, sugars0) to spread out evenly in the meat. I think 24 hours might be a little long and maybe just a rest in the fridge overnight should do. Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[sprky]

I may be wrong in this but if you add pink salt to everything but honey and then boil. you are neutralizing the cure because its being cooked.I wouldnt add any. Just soak overnight and cook the next day.

What Mike said...Heat will effect the Cure.  Add it after the brine cools.

Barry.

OOPS my bad guys, You are TOTALLY correct. Boiling the pink salt makes it ineffective and I knew that. I didn't proof read so i didn't catch omitting mixing in the pink salt after it cooled. 

 

 

[sprky]

If your goal to have a Hammy tasting Turkey, the Cure will get the job done. Otherwise leave it out. That sounds pretty good...JJ

In all honestly that isn't the goal, just a side affect. Since I smoke 20 + # birds I add the cure to keep them safe if I don't hit the 140 in 4 hours. On the flip side several years ago I was out of cure so I used smaller birds and left it out. EVERYONE asked/ stated the turkeys didn't taste the same. good just not as good. They lacked that WOW mystery flavor. I knew right away what it was as everything else was the same. 

 

[chef jimmyj]

SPRKY, Dude I give you Points for thinking of Safety first with birds and you are right. If you are smoking 20Lb+ birds the Cure gives you insurance and since your family likes the Hammy note you win big time...JJ

 

[fagesbp]

Well this answered a question I just asked in another thread. I'm going to smoke a big turkey and I will add the cure #1 to keep it safe. I think I'll put my trial bird in tonight to smoke this sunday since I already have a picnic brining for saturday.